Yes, online betting is legal in Rwanda when you use an operator licensed by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). The RDB became the national gambling regulator in mid-2024 (Prime Minister’s Order N° 028/03 of 28/06/2024, published in the Official Gazette on 3 July 2024), taking over from the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The sector runs under Law No. 58/2011 plus the Cabinet-approved 2024 Gambling Policy, and after a licensing pause the RDB reopened applications in August 2025 for land-based sports betting, online sports betting and online casinos. Offshore sites that lack an RDB licence fall outside this framework, so sticking to licensed operators is the safe choice.

Who regulates gambling in Rwanda?

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) now supervises gambling, taking over from the Ministry of Trade and Industry in mid-2024. The governing law is Law No. 58/2011 of 31/12/2011 (which commenced in 2012), and the 2024 Gambling Policy (Cabinet-approved October 2024) sets the modern direction, with updated legislation expected to follow.

Licensed vs offshore operators

The RDB suspended new licences on 9 August 2024 while the policy was finalised, then resumed licensing on 1 August 2025, inviting expressions of interest (deadline 30 September 2025) across land-based sports betting, online sports betting and online casinos. Reporting indicates there are more than 30 registered operators. Licensed operators are required to meet the regulator’s technical, KYC, AML/CFT and responsible-gambling standards. Offshore sites without an RDB licence are not covered by these protections, so verify a site’s Rwandan licence before depositing.

Payments: mobile money and cards

Rwanda is a mobile-money-first market, and betting reflects that. Deposits and withdrawals typically run through MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) and Airtel Money, plus bank cards. Transactions are in Rwandan francs (RWF). Mobile-money payments are fast and widely used, which is why mobile-first bookmakers dominate.

Crypto status

Cryptocurrency is not legal tender in Rwanda and cannot be used as a means of payment unless specifically authorised by the central bank. After a restrictive stance dating from around 2018 (the National Bank of Rwanda has warned that crypto is not a recognised means of payment, a position reaffirmed in April 2026), Rwanda gazetted its first Law on Virtual Asset Business (Law nº 023/2026 of 25/05/2026, published 28 May 2026), making the Capital Market Authority (CMA) the lead regulator alongside the BNR. Virtual Asset Service Providers must be licensed, only incorporated entities can operate, and activities such as mining, mixers and crypto ATMs need approval. In practice, licensed Rwandan gambling operators do not accept crypto, so “crypto gambling” is not a regulated option here.

Tax on winnings

Rwanda applies a withholding tax on net player winnings (winnings minus your stake). The Income Tax Law set this at 15%, and a new income tax law passed by Parliament in April 2025 raised it to 25% (effective from the 2024/25 fiscal year), at the same time lifting the operator gross-gaming-revenue (GGR) tax to 40% (from 13%). Officials framed the increases as encouraging responsible gambling and raising public revenue. The operator withholds and remits the player tax, so your payout is already net.

Safer gambling and getting help

The 2024 policy calls for responsible-gambling measures including age/identity verification, self-exclusion and support services delivered with health and social agencies. If gambling stops being fun, use self-exclusion and deposit limits, and seek mental-health support via the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC).

You must be 18+ to gamble in Rwanda. Gamble responsibly; set limits and use self-exclusion tools if you need them.

Sources